April— sept. 1859.] Copper Plates of Malabar. 53 



as this document in the beginning shows, sprung from Kummalers 

 or the Kummalers from them, through their then frequent inter- 

 marriages. This document No. II. calls them also Eeyoovahaiyer, 

 a word equally low and contemptuous in Malabar and of the same 

 meaning as the word Kummaler. 



Moreover, amongst the Nairs of the whole of North Malabar, 

 (that is to say from part of Cooroombranad as far as Mangalore) 

 though sometimes unchaste practices occur in their families ; yet, 

 I can most confidently assert, that the above abominable custom 

 of one woman being kept by two or three men at the same time, 

 never in ancient or modern time was once known. A Nair there 

 will, though occasionally, marry two or three women in succession : 

 if the first or second prove barren, or, all the children born, die, 

 or from any other like cause or domestic difference. Many of the 

 Teeyers also of that part of the country do in some measure fol- 

 low the custom of the Nairs ; but the Teyettees (Teeyer women) 

 of the remaining Teeyers there are notorious harlots and become 

 the concubines of strangers of any caste or religion, and this 

 without the least prejudice to their own caste, or any loss of 

 esteem in society ; on the other hand any such act proved against 

 any females of the other castes, subjects the person to excommu- 

 nication from caste, banishment from society, and all religious 

 advantages. The Teeyer females of South Malabar do not, though 

 so readily as those of the North yield themselves to this disgrace- 

 ful practice. Owing to the very great number of castes, and the 

 peculiar and different manners and customs in various parts of 

 the country, the superficial enquiries of most foreigners have led 

 them into error and in their works they generally ascribe the 

 same pernicious practices to all castes and parts of the country 

 indiscriminately. 



However, the Nairs, Teeyers and indeed all the other numerous 

 castes of Malabar (including the Cochin and Travancore countries, 

 these being indeed the most striking in this respect) are in some 

 way or other in a greater or less degree of error ; and reformation 

 therefore is indeed much needed among them all. It is though 

 very lamentable to find them dormant in their original state of 

 depression and not seeking for reformation rather than growing 



